Performance obstacles for direct and indirect labour in high technology manufacturing

Performance obstacles are factors in the work environment that restrict productivity by inhibiting employees in the execution of task responsibilities. In spite of their apparent importance, little research has been done to describe, categorize, or assess these obstacles. A research project carried out in 12 United States electronics firms demonstrates that employees in two groups (circuit board assemblers and manufacturing engineers) view performance obstacles as having a significant influence on their performance. Materials and information obstacles emerged as being the most important to the circuit board assemblers. For the engineers, information and control/authority were the most important obstacle categories. Managers tended to agree with circuit board assemblers about the importance of obstacles for that employee group. However, managers tended to disagree with the engineers, giving lower ratings of importance than the engineers did in several categories. The research provides a step toward a typology of performance obstacles, demonstrating similarities and differences between employee groups and it suggests that at least in some areas managers may not be as accurate as they could be in assessing the influence of performance obstacles on their employees. The findings indicate that the themes that have prevailed in the research on operations management (i.e. materials, quality, scheduling) are viewed by employees as being predominant factors in the productivity equation.     

FATTY ACIDS AND MEAT CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT BIOLOGICAL TYPES OF BEEF CATTLE DEVELOPED UNDER A MANAGEMENT-INTENSIVE GRAZING SYSTEM

ABSTRACT

Beef steers representing four biological types were evaluated for fatty acid profiles and meat characteristics in muscle tissue developed on grazed forages. Biological types included six large‐framed, late maturing, nine medium‐framed, late maturing, nine medium‐framed, intermediate maturing, and nine medium‐framed, early maturing steers. Longissimus dorsi muscles were removed and frozen after 7 days of dry aging. Tenderness and cook loss were similar between biological types. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in fatty acid profiles were found between biological types. The medium‐framed, early maturing animals scored highest (P < 0.05) in marbling, had the highest (P < 0.05) concentration of total n‐3 fatty acids, and had the lowest n–6/n–3 ratio at 1.03:1. All biological types had a mean n–6/n–3 ratio well below the recommended <4:1 for human cardiovascular health. Under this dietary management system, medium‐framed, early maturing beef steers should be considered for producing grass‐fed beef based on both carcass merit and fatty acid composition.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Beef cattle that reach physiological maturity (i.e. puberty) earlier than their contemporaries should be selected for the production of grassfed beef if fully developed on forages. Those animals have the ability to deposit fat earlier than their later‐maturing contemporaries. Additionally, medium‐framed beef animals should be selected over larger‐framed animals as skeletal frame does not contribute to meat quality but requires more nutritional input for growth and maintenance. This ability to deposit fat exclusively on forage nutrients, without energy or protein supplementation, should be exploited when developing grassfed beef. Fat deposition, particularly intramuscularly (IM), contributes positively to meat quality. Fatty acids, especially the ratio of n‐6/n‐3, are optimized when beef animals have been fully developed on nutrient‐dense forages. Forages must be managed in such a way to capture those nutrients for animal intake and protect the plants for regrowth in a pasture setting.     

USE OF MEAT ISOLATE, LACTOBACILLUS BAVARICUS MN, TO INHIBIT LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES GROWTH IN A MODEL MEAT GRAVY SYSTEM

The ability of Lactococcus lactis 11454 , Pediococcus pentosaceus 43200 and Lactobacillus bavaricus MN, originally isolated from dairy, vegetable, and meat products, respectively, to inhibit growth of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A in a model beef gravy was examined. In the first series of experiments, where the lactic acid bacteria and L. monocytogenes were inoculated at levels of 10⁵ CFU/mL and 10³ CFU/mL, respectively only L. bavaricus inhibited listerial growth at 10C. Subsequent experiments using L. bavaricus MN confirmed that the inhibition was caused by a bacteriocin, occurred at temperatures at low as 4C, and could be initiated by 10³ CFU/mL L. bavaricus in the presence of L. monocytogenes at levels 10-fold higher. Although the inhibitory agent was protease-sensitive and inhibition occurred in the absence of a fermentable carbohydrate, the presence of acid enhanced efficacy of the bacteriocin .